Annex XIII
by MiniLight
Summary: Secret's of PSICOMS Department of Research and Technology begin to unwravel, A new Colnol prepares to harness the power of all crystals and Ragnarok, for one ultimate goal. It's up to Lightning and Aqua to finish the next Annex. Post-Game  AU
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Lightning hugged Serah closely as she leaned her head against the younger sibling. It's been so long for both of them to be able to relax and be close again, there finally was time to stop and think.

"Do you love me?" Lightning asked quietly as they both stared down to the bottom of the field, dangling there legs over the edge of the orange canyon. Serah tilted her head up to see her sister, blushing, "I'm sorry...for everything".

Serah smiled as she held Lightnings hand. "I love you" As Serah rested her head back against her sister. Lightning smiled as she shut her eyes, together at last. She won't make the same mistake as before... She will make sure of it..

"Okay, civilians all clear"

"Check gate B"

"Check clear, go for transport"

"Wait". A voice echoed through the air ship. The soldiers looked around puzzled.

"Someone there?" A soldier ran back into the battered ship, his flashlight rapidly scanning through the metal support beams and cargo crates. Suddenly the soldiers body was thrown out of the ship, the others jumped back as they all flashed there lights back in the ship. A gleam of reflection shone back, as the tall blonde stepped forward, a grin across her face.

"Colonol...?" The troop asked questionablly.

"No! She is a trait...!" The soldier yelled as a bullet shot through his forehead.

"Anyone else?" She sighed.

The group fell silent, "Excellent".

Lightning's eyes flashed open as a loud rumble, she jumped back grabbing Serahbehind her as blinding beams of light shone upon them. The loud jet engines roared overhead as they sky tank hovered above. Lightning gripped her sword, but was blindsided as suddenly 2 rappel ropes shot down as PSICOM Trackers grabbed the sisters pulling them up as the sky tank thrusters pushed back, within seconds the canyon had become silent.

Lightning violently kicked the trackers stomach, as she jumped back. She shot the other holding Serah in the chest as she ran holding Serahs hand.

"Serah we have to get to the departure bay before we land, she handed Serah her last gravity grenade as she smiled, kissing her on the forehead.

"No!" "I'm not leaving you" Serah began to cry as Lightning hugged her tightly.

"I promise I'll be okay" As Lightning took off her pendant and wrapped it around Serah's neck.

"I'm gonna get that back" Lightning smiled as she hugged her again.

"Promise?"

"Promise" Lightning smiled as Serah dropped from the rear entrance.

Lightning turned around as a tear fell from her cheek. She picked up her sword as she fired a round into the troop laying in the ground.

She focused her mind as she entered the main section of the sky tank. It was quiet, a quiet she has long been experienced with, and stood strongly, no matter what awaits her.

"Why hello..."

Lightnings eyes widened, as she was swiftly brought down to the ground, the pain accompanied by it faded with the light disappearing in her eyes.

Lightning awoke to the sound of instruments resembling a hospital, the slight beeps from a heart rate monitor with plasma panels of Lightning's file's, her age, background and previous charges under PSICOM. She groaned as she tried to lift herself from the bed, her restraints became quickly noticable as feelings returned, the tightness and uncomfortable feeling became painfull. The bright light wasnt helping her headache either, as she dropped her head back on the bed.

The door slid open on the other end, the clacking sound of high heels, Jihl. She pushed her glasses up as she grinned, grabbing a chair as she pulled it to the side of the bed.

"So, Miss Farron." Jihl said as she began flicking her fingers on the panels, re-reading over the details of the ex-sargent. "hmm...very intresting, very intresting" she said sarcastically as she closed the file. "Well then lets cut straight to buisness, you are probably wondering why you are here, yes?"

Lightning gritted her teeth in anger, " I think I'm more confused as to why you're here!" She said as she clenched her fists.

"Dont change the subject, if that Dysley had any shred of integrity, you really are nothing more than a foolish child."

"Wha...?" Lightning's face was puzzled, 'What does she mean?' she wondered.

"The tear, do you have it with you?"

"No, why is it a concern to you?"

"Once again, I'm not here to answer your questions, now are you going to tell me where it is, or am i going to have to paly naughty Miss Farron?" Jihl smiled as her glasses flashed off a reflection of light.

"Fuck off"

Jihl sighed as she stood up, "Okay, i see how you want it". She turned around and began to fiddle with tools, she turned around with wires as she tied them around the metal arm restraints.

"Last Chance..." Jihl whispered, as she pulled out a gag and forced it into her mouth.

Lightnings eyes widened as she shut them tightly.

In the blackness, she cold hear the elctricity charging up, as instantly she screamed into the gag, her muffled moans echoing through the hall. her body shaking violently as she lsot controll of her entire body.

"Are we ready to talk?" Jihl Cooed.

"Well?" Jihls voices firmed, as she elbowed Lightnign square in the jaw, causing her to scream out in pain.

Lightning's eyes were heavy as she could barely stay conciuse. Her breathing ragged as she felt the dull pain of her muscles tightening.

"Well, we'll try in a bit" Jihl winked as she got up, and pressed the intercom. "Aqua, shes ready, same dosage we planned, please clean up if you can"

"Yes Colonol" The fuzzy intercom revealed a soft voice.

Jihl left the room as Aqua came in shortly after. She had shorter blue hair, with soft blue eyes. She was wearing a black and blue, high-collared halter top with two pink intersecting belts over her chest, as well as black shorts with stockings, Lightnign couldnt help but see this girl as gorgeous, but there were more important issues at the moment.

Aqua looked down as she hurried to the side of the bed and began preparing the solutions. She glanced at the pre-preapred solution, she glanced over her shoulder as she took it, and slid it into her pocket, instead extracing the other. She turned towards Lightning and leaned into the bed as she began to push the syringe into Lightnings wrist.

"Run" She whispered as she pulled it out.

Lightning looked puzzled as she watched Aqua. She didnt feel any diffrent, what was happening?

"All clear" Aqua said firmly into the intercom

"Alright, your clear to resume to your station."

Aqua turned back and removed the straps, "That solution should help with the fatigue"

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I know what Jihl has done, and what she plans"

Lightning grabbed her equpment off the table, as she tightened her belt, and swung her blaze fire saber back into its sheath.

"Well?" Lightning asked confused as she stared at Aqua, her head slouhed down adverting eye contact.

"Im Sorry?"

"Are you coming or not?" Lightning laughed in a form to ease the mood.

"Oh no I cant, I would only slow you down.." She said nervously.

"What?, you saved me here, your coming!" Lightning smiled.

Aqua smiled and nodded as she hurried after Lightning.

"There are very few prepared guards on this base, after well, you know, they are still out on pulse directing and securing the outer perimeters.

Aqua sqiped her key card to the main bay, as she hurried out.

"Where are we?" Lightning asked amused as she examined the docking room, airships and transport trucks were palced side by side with analystic screens with maps and intel markers.

"Not too far from where we got you, this is a PSICOM base camp, they have had it here for over 20 years now, developing new research and well, they have been working on creating a emulation of ragnarok."

"Hmm"

Lightning and Aqua made there way out the ship as they hid behind the cargo containers.

"We can get out jsut over there, were not to close to the edge and that part is from the back, so we can go undetected. Lightning nodded as she followed her out towards the open world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The day turned to dusk quickly as Lightning and Aqua made distance toward the low moutains and cliffs. The changing weather began to take another turn as a light snow fall begun its coating on the ground. Lightning however, seemed to become overly excited with this new phenominon to her, as she smiled and focused her attention to the rapidly blackening sky as the last traces of the sun were covered in a veil of stars.

"Aqua Look!" Lightning shouted from behind as she held her hand out.

Aqua smiled and turned around as she walked backwards, "So where on Cocoon are you from?"

"Bodhum".

"Ah, must be beautiful huh?" Aqua asked curiously.

"Yeah, I never had time to really sink it all in though..." Lightning began to think about her work, her life she had before. 'It's nothing now, everything except Serah' Thinking of Serah gave her hope, something to plan for and most of all, keep her going when she couldn't. She wanted to tell Serah how much she meant to her, she promised herself she would when they meet again.

The two began there way through the small band of mountains as they headed towards minor settlements, or "refugee spots" as Aqua had called them. The snow and cold wind began to increase as Aqua's teeth began to chatter. Lightning followed closely now as she unbuttoned her red cape, shaking off the collected snow as she wrapped it around Aqua's shoulders.

"Oh!...uhm.." Aqua's eyes widened as she turned to face Lightning, "Thank you.." Aqua blushed.

Lightning smiled warmly causing the younger girl to relax more, "So how much farther do you think it is?".

"Not much, maybe a mile, New Edin is the largest settlement, actually was created after PSICOM completed its raids in the east.

"PSICOM?" Lightning rushed to ask.

"PSICOM was not just limited to Cocoon, they have a much longer history then those on Cocoon would know, most of it is even restricted to those in the Sanctum. The only 2 who knew were Dysley, and Jihl. Dysley however, was a puppet essentially, oh he knew it all along, but it had to be done, for Jihl's protection."

Lightning's mind relapsed all the events, 'but Jihl was dead... the fact that what she thought she knew, a world controlled by fal cie''

"Dont worry, well discuss this after we settle in."

"Water, please." Serah asked dryly, she had been walking for hours without single luck of finding anyone, her cheeks covered in dirt with dried tears on her cheeks.

"Sure thing". As the bar tender turned, Serah looked around at the building, the metal and glass structure was clean, and to her fascination, almost similar to the design used in Cocoon. The room had metal walls, with tables made out of glass. The roof was an open dome, with checkered glass covering the ceiling. She grabbed the water as she sat down by a table. 'I miss you Lightning'. Serah began to feel her throat ache as she sunk her dead down against her arms.

"Hey, are you alright?" A gentle voice opened Sera'h eyes.

"Uhm" Serah rose up as she saw the girl standing across from her, she had blond hair, and tan skin. Her eyes soft as she gazed upon Serah with worry. "Oh its nothing.." Serah trailed off in nervousness.

The blond girl sat down as she smiled, "I'm Arianna".

"Serah". She replied sheepishly.

"Something must be bothering you?"

"My sister, Lightning... She got taken from PSICOM, and I dont know if shes.." Serah was cut off with the slamming door as it hit the side of the wall.

"Lightning!" Serah squealed, as she got up and ran towards the older girl, embracing her in a hug.

"Serah!" Lightning squeezed her sister as she kissed her on the forhead. "I told you I was getting it back" Lightning laughed as she took off the pendent ad clipped it around her neck.

"I thought..." Serah began to tear again, but before anymore could fall, Lightning swooped up Serah and rubbed her cheek, carrying her back to her table.

Lightning set Serah back in her chair as Aqua and Lightning pulled up some chairs. Aqua smiled at Arianna and Serah as she sat down quietly.

"Lightning! This is Arianna!" Serah tugged her arm as Lightning smiled at the blonde.

"Hey" Arianna's concentration was shifted quickly however, as she soon sheepishly glanced at Aqua who in turn blushed, and looked down. Lightning had already caught on as she watched the two interact. "Arianna, this is Aqua, she's the one who got me away from PSICOM".

"Hey.." Aqua said nervously as she tried to avoid eye contact with the blonde.

"Hey" Arianna smiled.

"So, we have alot of things to get cleared up about, what the hell is going on with PSICOM, and what were you talking about Oerba and Jihl?" Lightning had many questions, so many in fact that remembering them had already become difficult.

"Well, PSICOM had actually begun its implementations on Pulse for a while now, there ultimate goal, was to emulate the destructive powers of Fal'Cie. They first began in Oerba, not too far from Taejin's Tower. They had planned on harnessing the powers from Fal'Cie Dahaka. After they failed, the previous leader saw it to search for the powers, first objective was Oerba. Within a week the village had become a high level sanction for PSICOM Research and Technology."

"Why Oerba?" Lightning paused her briefly.

"Oerba was said to have many magical elements within the town, however these rumors were much different then from what was reality. However, many years later, Conol Jihl nabaat seized control of the restrcited department for PSICOM, and began to study Ragnarok... Ragnarok's early origins were recorded first in Oerba, in actuality that is, not prophecy. However, after failing the first attempt, Jihl had needed a way to retry the failed objective, for the first reason to destroy Cocoon, but secondly to extract the power of Ragnarok, which is now deeply embed within the crystallized Cocoon you see today."

Aqua fell quiet, as she looked down. "So Jihl, she was incontroll of the Sanctum, after the previous leader fell?" Lightning asked as she slowly began to interpret what had ben said.

Aqua nodded, "Yes, Dysley's death was inevitable, she had planned it all along, even staging her own death to flee Cocoon, and start early on preparations fro Ragnarok.

"So what do we do?" Serah asked as she stayed under Lightning's arm.

"We have to stop PSICOM before they begin there preparations on extracting the powers from the crystals, if not, incomprehensible power will be in the control of Jihl."

"So why did Jihl ask for the Crystalized Tear?" Lightning remembered.

"Im not sure, if im right, I would assume she is after ever grain of crystal, but the one from Serah, its diffrent.. She was a L'Cie, its possible her Eidolon is extractable from that, and clearly they know something we don't." Aqua spun the tear in her hands as she rested it on the table.

"Well I'm gonna go get some sleep" Lightning yawned as she pushed herself out of the chair, Serah holding her hand tightly, as Lightning brought her sister over to the couch. She patted the front signalling for her to lay next to her, for which Serah squealed and jumped next to her.

The table was quiet as Aqua fiddled with her hands. "Uhm well..." She said in attempt to break the silence.

"Wow Your Gorgeous!" Arianna bursted, a deep blush forming as she could no longer hold the quiet separation between her and Aqua.

Aqua's face went deep red, as she looked down, "Thanks...so are you" She replied sheepishly, as she gave quick smiles back up to her. Aqua pushed back from the table as she smiled sweetly and made her way to the couches.

"Goodnight" Aqua blushed, as she hurried away.

**Special thanks to Lightning Farron for all the help and the end bit :) Please Review! And the opening, which is probably the best grammer and vocab out of the whole story XD.**


End file.
